UFC champ Jon Jones on layoff: My foot is ‘cracking and crackling and stuff’

While a formal date hasn’t been set, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones expects to return to the octagon in March.

Jones (19-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC) was briefly slated to make his seventh 205-pound title defense against Glover Teixeira (22-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC) in February, and despite separate announcements saying he would headline UFC 169 and then UFC 170, “Bones” said he’s simply not healthy enough for either card.

“The reason why I didn’t take the fight [in February] is because I don’t feel my body is ready for a training camp,” Jones told MMAjunkie. “I wanted to be there for the fans, I wanted to be there for the UFC, but in order for me to do that, I need to listen to my body and come prepared to compete, and that’s being healthy.”

Although Jones’ most recent fight, a narrow decision win over Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165, took place in September, he’s still feeling the effects of the grueling contest.

Gustafsson pushed the champion to his absolute limit for five hard rounds, and even though he won, Jones came out of the fight far from unscathed.

The 26-year-old suffered a large laceration above his right eye early in the fight with “The Mauler,” and he also aggravated the toe injury he gruesomely suffered against Chael Sonnen at UFC 159 earlier this year.

Several months later, those injuries are still lingering for the champion, which is why he didn’t feel comfortable accepting a fight at either February event.

“My eye is definitely not ready to be punched,” Jones said. “I’m afraid that it could reopen, which would make scarring terrible and prolong the whole thing even more. My foot is definitely not ready to go yet. I wake up to step off the bed, and it’s cracking and crackling and stuff. I’m just not ready for the training camp.”

Beyond his physical inability to start a proper training camp, Jones said a February fight date also conflicted with his personal schedule.

Several of Jones’ recent bouts have been scheduled around the holidays. While the champ said he has no problem giving up the hearty foods that come along with the Christmas season, he relished the rare chance to spend time with his family – without the stress of training for an upcoming fight.

“I’ve spent the last three Christmases in Albuquerque, and I really want to just be with my family back in New York state and let my kids see Christmas the way it’s supposed to be,” Jones said. “That’s a big reason why I kind of delayed that next fight until March.”

While the date for Jones’ next fight isn’t set, his opponent has remained the same. Teixeira became the top contender in the light heavyweight division with a first-round knockout of Ryan Bader this year in Brazil.

While Jones has taken on a murderers row of challengers since attaining UFC gold, he views Teixeira as one of the most threatening, which is exactly why he wants to be completely healthy when the fight ultimately takes place.

“He’s just an amazing athlete,” Jones said. “(He’s) a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, one of the best boxers I’ve ever faced, probably has the most knockout power I’ve ever gone against. It’s just a big match. He’s a big, scary, intimidating dude, and when I fight these guys, it brings out the best in me.”